Mouse, rat, and other types of small animal traps are well known in the art. Such traps may, for instance, comprise a stand in the form of a plate, at which a clamp may be stretched against the force of a spiral spring, arranged around its turning axis to a loaded position, in which a lock pin keeps the clamp means at the plate. The free end of the lock pin is inserted in the loop of a locking means in the form of a movable plate, at which the bait is fixed (e.g., in the form of a piece of cheese).
Traps of this type have some limitations and drawbacks. It is relatively troublesome and hazardous to load such traps, and positively two hands are required. Often, the trap hits the fingers of the user while the user tries to set or move the trap. Furthermore, the animal can often remove the bait by careful action without causing the trap to act.